Welcome to The Bolter and Chainsword
Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Javascript Disabled Detected

You currently have javascript disabled. Several functions may not work. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality.

Dominoris

Posted 23 September 2019 - 07:03 PM

Acts of Faith require a roll but with modifiers can be made to auto pass. Fewer faith points. No significant change in power.

Exorcist becomes Heavy 2d6, S 8, AP -4, D d6, +1 to wound vs Chaos

Celestian squads: any Celestian can take a storm bolter. May re-roll faith tests.

I hope for much more. Like bolter drill, blessed ammo (mortal wound on a 6+), powerful and/or useful Acts of Faith, Shield of Faith saves vs mortal wounds in the psychic phase, Exorcists in squadrons of up to 3.

ERJAK

Posted 23 September 2019 - 08:46 PM

ERJAK

+FRATER DOMUS+

+ FRATER DOMUS +

1,227 posts

I expect to see the beta codex with a few minor changes.
Acts of Faith require a roll but with modifiers can be made to auto pass. Fewer faith points. No significant change in power.
Exorcist becomes Heavy 2d6, S 8, AP -4, D d6, +1 to wound vs Chaos
Celestian squads: any Celestian can take a storm bolter. May re-roll faith tests.

I hope for much more. Like bolter drill, blessed ammo (mortal wound on a 6+), powerful and/or useful Acts of Faith, Shield of Faith saves vs mortal wounds in the psychic phase, Exorcists in squadrons of up to 3.

That exorcist change doesn't make any sense.

Other than that, if they did that it would be bad days for the faction. Other armies are just getting stronger and we're moving sideways if you're being VERY generous.

My realistic prediction is now no new models (because GW are idiots) and a codex that's actually worse than the beta codex because they up the AoF rework so even poxwalker horde doesn't work anymore.

My optimistic prediction is 2-5 new units (1 new character alongside dual builds for seraphim, celestians, and either/or the exorcist/immolator). Turns out the special box units ARE just monopose pushfit versions of the full kits.

AoFs get reworked to be a solid halfway point between the index and the beta codex, allowing us to have some of our mobility back without giving seraphim 30" range sniper meltas again.

Geminae get put back with Celestine, healing tears becomes a once per game ability, her built in warlord trait becomes not totally god-awful. Still very strong, not as overwhelming as she was.

The 4++ bubble dies in a and filled hole.

Exorcist gets 'roll 2 dice take the highest if you don't move'.

Penitent engines get+2 movement and run+charge (possibly either with a drawback or a points increase)

Celestians get totally redesigned, are still utterly pointless. (It's optimistic, not insanity.)

Vehicles benefit from Convictions, convictions get buffed to be in line with what SM get without doctrines or angels of death.

They add a number of new stratagems, relics, and warlord traits some of which are powerful, some of which are terrible. They also nerf Blessed bolts because of course they do.

The book ends up being fine. Some good build options, a couple of neat tricks, nothing too crazy. The faction stays obscure but popular enough that we get meaningfully included in around 1/6th of all campaign books and are eventually given 1 additional new character.

That covers the most optimistic take on them listening to community feedback and taking easy, low hanging fruit expansions.

Dominoris

Posted 24 September 2019 - 04:03 AM

Dominoris

+FRATER DOMUS+

+ FRATER DOMUS +

49 posts

Just as a reminder, here is what we know from the beta feedback in BSB #2

Acts of Faith

The Plan: The rules team are looking to rebuild the Acts of Faith system from the ground up to ensure they are both more reliable, and can be used to impact key moments in the battle – just as acts of divine intervention should. You will be as the Emperor Himself, bestowing blessings on your units as and when they are most needed.

Exorcist Missile Launcher

The Plan: The rules team are looking at how we can make this iconic, missile-launching organ a more consistent damage-dealing addition to your army. They have a few ideas already – heretics beware!

(("heretics" link goes to Shadowspear page))

Celestian Squads

The Plan: The rules team will look to add a thematic new ability or two to the Celestians to help them have more of an impact on the battlefield without sacrificing their role as sworn guardians of their Order. After all, just because Celestians are protectors first and foremost doesn’t mean they can’t dish out some serious pain!

I don't expect much more than these 3 changes from the current beta codex.

ERJAK

Posted 24 September 2019 - 08:18 PM

ERJAK

+FRATER DOMUS+

+ FRATER DOMUS +

1,227 posts

Just as a reminder, here is what we know from the beta feedback in BSB #2

Acts of Faith
The Plan: The rules team are looking to rebuild the Acts of Faith system from the ground up to ensure they are both more reliable, and can be used to impact key moments in the battle – just as acts of divine intervention should. You will be as the Emperor Himself, bestowing blessings on your units as and when they are most needed.

Exorcist Missile Launcher
The Plan: The rules team are looking at how we can make this iconic, missile-launching organ a more consistent damage-dealing addition to your army. They have a few ideas already – heretics beware!
(("heretics" link goes to Shadowspear page))

Celestian Squads
The Plan: The rules team will look to add a thematic new ability or two to the Celestians to help them have more of an impact on the battlefield without sacrificing their role as sworn guardians of their Order. After all, just because Celestians are protectors first and foremost doesn’t mean they can’t dish out some serious pain!

I don't expect much more than these 3 changes from the current beta codex.

My interpretation of that post is simply that they wanted to address a handful of very common feedback responses while not locking themselves into a corner by promising rules changes they hadn't iterated on yet.

Considering how flawed the beta codex was, even bringing AoFs back up to index levels wouldn't be enough to put it into a top 32 level book, let alone top 16. They need to seriously take a look at what the army is supposed to be on the battlefield. Whatever they were originally going for with the army's identity, they ended up in 'poxwalker horde'. Nobody wants another poxwalker horde.

Jacques Corbin

Posted 07 October 2019 - 11:01 PM

I wager they will add dataslates for the Ecclesiarchy characters from Black Stone Fortress. I wonder if they will have order keywords?

Perhaps Acts of Faith will be more in line with the prayers of Chaplains and Dark Apostles? Kind of like how all Grey Knight units are psykers, all SoB units are Chaplains. Or maybe there will be a Canticles mechanic like the Ad Mech.

I really like the lore about Hospitalers also having the added duty of being interrogators. There should be a rule that is any enemy character is slain in melee, and there is a Hospitaler within 3 inches, you should get a CP, or even d3 CP.

Atrus

Posted 08 October 2019 - 02:48 AM

Atrus

+FRATER DOMUS+

+ FRATER DOMUS +

971 posts

Location:Australia

Faction: Order of the Penitent Spirit

That rule sounds like the genestealer stratagem where you spend 1cp to gain d3cp if a character is slain nearby.
Think the whole interrogator fluff has been around for a while. I recall Sister Verity mentioning she had been in on several interrogations.

What I expect in the codex is at the very least everything we already have. Anything more is a bonus. The rules being good would just be icing.

ERJAK

Posted 08 October 2019 - 03:29 PM

ERJAK

+FRATER DOMUS+

+ FRATER DOMUS +

1,227 posts

That rule sounds like the genestealer stratagem where you spend 1cp to gain d3cp if a character is slain nearby.
Think the whole interrogator fluff has been around for a while. I recall Sister Verity mentioning she had been in on several interrogations.

What I expect in the codex is at the very least everything we already have. Anything more is a bonus. The rules being good would just be icing.

For me it's the rules being good is the minimum, keeping everything we have would be a bonus, new units is icing.

Jack Burton

Posted 09 October 2019 - 01:43 AM

Ezr91aeL

Posted 09 October 2019 - 06:17 AM

Ezr91aeL

+FRATER DOMUS+

+ FRATER DOMUS +

419 posts

Faction: Custodes

I can recall that in one (or more) bulletin GW said we would get all the old units an some new ones too. I expect these new ones to be the Jump Canoness and the Palatine (the equivalent of the marines lieutenant). After all it's clear the lack of HQ choices for sisters, especially in a edition that requires many HQ to deploy a decent army.

There is also a little glimpse of hope for a generic Living Saint (in a bulletin there was a vague hint about that).

Other than units I expect to see in the codex several examples of minor orders in a similar way the Marine codex does with successors chapter, expecially considering the greater connection of them with their progenitor orders (a major order Canoness can give orders to sisters from a "successor" minor order of her one)